This Christmas tree pays tribute to Iowa police officers killed this year in the line of duty

This Christmas tree pays tribute to Iowa police officers killed this year in the line of duty

The tree includes the names and badge numbers of five officers

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Updated: 5:41 AM PST Dec 4, 2016

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WEBVTT
PROBABLY IN THE PROCESS OF
PUTTING UP AND DECORATING YOUR
TREE.
BUT THERE IS ONE CHRISTMAS TREE
THIS YEAR WITH EXTRA SPECIAL
MEANING BEHIND IT.
KCCI'S LAURA TERRELL TAKES US
INSIDE THE URBANDALE POLICE
STATION TO SEE WHY
>> I HOPE THIS TREE IS A
CONTINUING REMEMBRANCE OF WHAT
THOSE OFFICERS DO FOR US EVERY
DAY.
LAURA: IT'S THE BRIGHT FOCAL
POINT YOU CAN'T MISS INSIDE THE
URBANDALE POLICE DEPARTMEN
>> THE HOLIDAY TREE OBVIOUS
BRINGS US A LOT OF JOY.
LAURA: BLUE, BLACK AND, SILV
ORNAMENTS.
>> THEY WROTE IN HERE JUSTIN'S
BADGE NUMBER.
LAURA: DISPLAYED ALONGSIDE BADGE
NUMBERS OF OUR FALLEN OFFICERS.
SERGEANT BIMINIO.
51-84 IS SUSAN FARRELL.
THAT'S CARLOS.
EVERYTHING FROM BRIEF
27 -- FROM
GRI
EF TO SET THIS TO
RESILIENCE.
LAURA: TARA MCFARLING CAME UP
WITH THE IDEA.
>> MY HUSBAND IS A VETERAN OF
THE DES MOINES POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
LAURA: TO CREATE THIS BRIGHT
MEMORIAL DURING SUCH A DARK
TIME.
>> NOT A DAY GOES BY DON'T THINK
ABOUT JUSTIN.
LAURA: INSIDE A POLICE
DEPARTMENT, HEARTBROKEN WITH
LOSS, ARE THE NAMES OF OTHER
METRO DEPARTMENTS WHO'VE BEEN

This Christmas tree pays tribute to Iowa police officers killed this year in the line of duty

A Christmas tree inside the Urbandale, Iowa Police Department pays tribute to the five officers killed while on-duty during 2016. The ornaments are black, blue and silver, with the badge numbers and photos of the fallen officers next to them. The tree also lists the names of different Iowa departments, including Ankeny, Norwalk and Pleasant Hills.

“I hope this tree is a continuing remembrance of what those officers do for us every single day,” Tara McFarling, the wife of a Des Moines officer said. The tree was her idea.

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“Well, the holiday tree obviously brings us a lot of joy, and is just another way our community shows has shown us support,” Sergeant Chad Underwood told KCCI last week. “A whole lot of emotions go through my head when I see those numbers, from grief to sadness to resilience.”